Review By Kayleigh

This was my first audiobook read and I loved the experience!

Book Synopsis:

We are but story made manifest…

If you want a story that will change your life, Chiron’s bookshop is where you go. For those lucky enough to grace its doors, it’s a glimpse into a world of powerful bargains and deadly ink magic.

 For Cassandra Fairfax, it’s a reminder of everything she lost, when Chiron kicked her out and all but shuttered the shop. Since then, she’s used her skills in less ethical ways, trading stolen books and magical readings to wealthy playboys and unscrupulous collectors.

Then Chiron dies under mysterious circumstances. And if Cassandra knows anything, it’s this: the bookshop must always have an owner.

 But she’s not the only one interested. There’s Lowell Sharpe, a dark-eyed, regrettably handsome bookseller she can’t seem to stop bumping into; rival owners who threaten Cassandra from the shadows; and, of course, Chiron’s murderer, who is still on the loose.

As Cassandra tries to uncover the secrets her mentor left behind, a sinister force threatens to unravel the world of the magical bookshops entirely…

Review:

I’m ashamed to admit that this was my first ever audiobook. However, I need you to know that I am now hooked on audiobooks and can’t go back! The Bookshop Below was terrifically narrated and was the perfect story for me to dip my feet into the audiobook world with. 

I loved the premise of this book: magic bookstore, urban fantasy and mystery. And I really enjoyed The Bookshop Below. Cass Fairfax is a strong and feisty character who went from being trained to being a bookkeeper to being kicked out of the community and being disgraced and living her life as a thief. When her old mentor dies and leaves the bookstore to her, her world is thrown into chaos. 

She discovers more than a rundown bookstore that’s past its prime however. When she goes to claim her inheritance, she discovers that there are others out there who badly want the store and will do anything to get it, even kill. Cass has to learn quickly to keep the bookstore functional and keep herself alive. The role of an “Owner” is very different from what she remembers from her days with her mentor, Chiron, and she feels very out of the loop. 

Through the story, Cass learns about her own history before she was given to the bookstore as a child, which has direct links to the bookshop and rivers that run below the magical bookstores and keep the magic alive. While she’s learning about her past, Cass is also learning to dream about a future. Possibly a future that contains a fellow bookshop manager who, although prickly, is fascinating to Cass on both the mental and physical level. 

When Cass discovers that something is draining the river of its magic and causing the bookstore to vanish, she realizes the clock is ticking and that she needs to figure out what or who is draining the river before her own store crumbles. Especially because in this magic world the captain always goes down with the ship. Is it linked to her mentor’s death? Or is the mysterious group of owners actually the ones who killed him? I won’t spoil the book by answering these questions, but I will say that I loved listening to the journey Cass goes on in this story. 

The one thing I wish I had more of from The Bookshop Below, was more about the magic structure. You’re thrown into this world and just trying to figure it out. How does the magic work? Does everyone know about the magic or just those who have it and those who need it? Is the magic only in London, England, or is it all across the world? I’d love to see more about the magic system, especially as it pertains to books and the readers who can cast spells. The ending of the story does leave the world open to a sequel so I’m hopeful I can visit Cass again and learn more about her world. 

Thank you, Hacette Audiobooks, for giving us an ARC in exchange for an honest review.